1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method for providing services to connect portable media with a network, i.e. to retrieve an information on a network based on information recorded in each of portable media for electronic computer published in large quantity or to change method of utilization for each medium at the instruction from an application on the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, floppy disk, CD-ROM, PD, etc. have been used as a portable medium for computers. As examples to connect it with an application software on a network, there are a system of shopping by placing a product catalog into CD-ROM or a system to have access to Internet home page having related information and to display it when the application in CD-ROM is being started.
First, description will be given on an example of catalog shopping. To perform catalog shopping, the user obtains a CD-ROM by purchasing it at a bookshop or by receiving direct distribution from mail order supplier. The CD-ROM thus obtained is placed into CD-ROM drive of a personal computer at hand to display the content of the catalog. When the user finds a favorite product, the user's wish to buy the product is communicated to the mail order supplier by starting communicating function of the personal computer. In some cases, catalog browser may be automatically started in the communication function of the personal computer. To pay for the price of the product, the number of the user's credit card is transmitted in advance, and the payment is made by utilizing the credit card. The number of credit card may be transmitted at the time of purchase or the amount may be paid by transfer to bank account later.
Next, description will be given on an example, in which the user has access to Internet home page from an application in CD-ROM. An example is given on the journal "Nikkei Multi-Media", December issue, 1995, pp. 86-89. In this example, a catalog is used as the application in CD-ROM as in the previous example. Because the catalog on CD-ROM is distributed only be several times annually, it may take some time until changes of price or specification, or addition of new products will be included in the catalog. Therefore, it is proposed to supplement the information in CD-ROM by Internet home page. In so doing, it is possible to utilize the catalog, which always offer the newest information.
However, in the conventional technique as described above, the same type of CD-ROM is distributed to all users. To include and reflect the past utilization history of each user to the action of the application, it is necessary to put number and to control the users by the service suppliers after distributing CD-ROM. The user must convey the user's own number to the application by storing the number in the personal computer or by inputting it each time. Here, the reflection of the past utilization history to the action of the application indicates direct use by displaying a list of purchase details in the past or indirect use by judging taste of each user from the details of purchase in the past and to change the showing mode of the catalog.
In case it is attempted to have access to Internet home page with the purpose of having access only to the relevant information and not to supplement the information in CD-ROM, it is only possible in the conventional technique to have access to a certain fixed home page stored in CD-ROM. For the case where address of the home page has been changed or the case where a new home page is opened, the user must wait until the next CD-ROM will be distributed or the user himself or herself must store the new information to the personal computer through maintenance.
To solve the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide services, in which, when the user tries to utilize information by connecting a portable medium for computer published in large quantity with a network, customization for each user can be automatically performed without forcing each user to do special work, i.e. by substituting the information to control the corresponding relationship between the portable medium and the user with a medium utilization information set in the portable medium in advance.